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N.PErERs. PHoTaLlTNcGnAPHER, wAsHmGToN. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WM. E. WORTHEN, OF NEW YORK, N.-Y.

METALLIC BLIND FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS.

'Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,279, dated July 17, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that IfWILLIAM E. VVORTHEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in fire and burglar proof metallic blinds for closing doors and windows in stores, warehouses, and buildings generally, and that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings, is a full and sufficient description thereof.

' My blind in some of its characteristics is similar to the inside Venetian blind now in ordinary use merely as an obscurer of lightl or as an obstructer of vision, and in order to render the same applicable as a shutter and a protector from fire I have invented and applied in combination therewith certain devices hereinafter described and have also constructed the whole contrivance of metal.

As metallic sliding blinds as usually constructed are not thief proof unless made of great weight, or else hooked over guides which impede their free act-ion, and as they are moreover good conductors of heat I have been led to invent a plan of slat which overcomes the objections arising not only from weights or friction but also the difficult-y which occurs from the blind being a good conductor and thereby when heated from the outside tending to fire wood or other combustible material in its immediate vicinity on the inside of the building.

The nature of t-he first part of my invention consists in the construction of a hollow met-allie slat, embracing or inclosing in the interior thereof some non-conductor of heat, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

The nature of the second part of my invention consists in combining with a metallic blind composed of turning and sliding slats, pivots and stat-ionary grooves or ways, or their equivalents, substantially as hereinafter specified, whereby each slat is forced to slide in a fixed vert-ical plane or nearly so; and the nature of the third part o-f my invention consists in combining with a blind composed as a whole substantially as set forth in the preceding paragraph a locking bar or its equivalent substantially such as is hereinafter described; and the nature of the last two parts of my invention consist-s in arranging the chains or ropes which actuate the blinds both to slide and turn them and the arms on the slats to which they are atproper by a partit-ion and in applying in combination with pivots attached to the slats a supporting chain acting as a carrier for each slat and also as a journal in which it may be vibrated, all substantially as herein set forth.

In the drawings Figure l is an elevation of one end of the slats showing the groove locking bar and their other accessories. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the whole apparatus from the interior of a building, certain parts being representedl as broken away to exhibit other portions more closely. Fig. 3 is an elevation of that end of the slats to which the chains for giving them a vibrating motion are attached. Fig. 4C is a front elevation of the blind and the frame to which it is secured. Fig. 5 is an elevation on a large scale of a single slat, parts of the center thereof being represented as broken away and also of end views on a large scale of the arms, pivots, etc., attached thereto. Fig. 6 is an end view of one modification of an arm and a portion of a locking bar forward to act in concert therewith,

and Fig. 7 is an end view of another modification of the same parts.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

In order to construct my slat I take sheet metal of any appropriate thickness and by` means of any ordinary apparatus form it into a tube whose section is an oblate-oval or some similar figureor said tube may be cast or drawn or prepared in other vconvenient ways. The interior of this tube is then filled with some non-conductor of heat, such as baked wood, charcoal, hydraulic cement, plaster of Paris, or other well known non-conductors, and these fillers are generally to be selected with regard to the position of the blind and the thickness of the metal in the slats. If on a lower floor baked wood by itself, or saturated with muriate of lime or co-mmon or other salts should be employed, as such wood adds materially to the strength of the tube. If on a story higher, more difficult of access, cement, plaster or charcoal would probably suit best, or I sometimes intend merely to confine air in the interior of the slat which of itself is an excellent non-conductor of heat. My slats are stronger than solid ones, first because they are tubular, second because the tain extent that indenting and flattening which take place on the first effort to bend or break a tube. The ends of these tubes are closed up by proper heads, which if the non-conductor be of wood or baked wood should lit tightly in order to prevent access of air when the blind becomes heated, and to these heads are secured proper pivots or axes, upon the ends of which are formed or fastened arms to which chains or cords are attached. These pivots run in grooves in metallic side pieces and each slat is thereby prevented from being forced out of the plane of the groove unless force sufficient to break a slat is employed, while at the same time it is free to rise, fall, and vibrate as may be required. A metallic side piece is usually to be applied beyond that containing the groove and a recess for the arms,

A shaft on proper journals located above the slats and to which are secured pulleysv or drums with chains or cords secured thereto and also to all or some of the arms supplies a means for raising and lowering the slats, while other chains attached also to the arms provide for the vibrat-ing of the slats as may be required.

In the drawings a a g, are the slats, Z) represents the non-conducting filling thereof, c c are the side pieces, d the entablature above the frame, e e the grooves in the interior side pieces in which slide the pivots f f. The arms are represented-at g g, the vibrating chains each attached to o-ne end of each arm at L la and the lifting cords or chains at z'. The ends z', it will be perceived are attached to the lower slat only. Another chain or cord 7c, is secured to an elongation of the pivots projecting beyond the arms of each slat, and I intend generally to apply such a chain on each end of the slats,y

as it effectually supports them separately when let down, and at all times lessens the strain upon the vibrating chains and furnishes a journal in which they may vibrate, as the elongation of the pivot enters loosely a link of the chain or a little journal by making part thereof.

The locking bar may be applied on one or both ends of the slats and it is shown at 8 s pivoted to two or more short arms t t as onehalf of a parallel ruler is attached to its fellow. This bar is capable of motion to and from the slat arms. It may be moved by a lever as at o, or by a wedge screw, or any other competent device, and when brought into t-he position shown in Flg. 1 it bears against a flat side of each arm, and is held there by a catch in the actuating lever, or one acting in the bar itself. Each slat is therefore prevented from turning as long as the bar holds its place, and it is clear that the latter cannot be moved from the outside of the building. I intend at times to make the arms polygonal, in which case the locking bar will not only secure the slats when bearing against each other but also when slanted at any desired angle. Sometimes also I mean to make those parts of the arms against which the bar rests toothed, as are cog wheelsand to rock the bar, so that its teeth may engage therewith, see Fig. 6, as also to make the arm with one recess therein and one corresponding tooth on the bar, as shown in Fig. 7 whereby the bar will not only prevent t-he turning, but also the lifting of each slat either from the out or the inside, and I also intend to apply to the lower and sometimes to more of the slats an ordinary hook, or catch, attached at one end to the window or door sill or' the wall inside of the building in such manner that the blinds when all down may be held fast in that position, and in order to prevent all risk of the blind being lifted a little and the consequent insertion of a pinch bar I sometimes use for such catch a hook in whose shank is formed a screw turnbuckle.

The case may be made of cast iron or wrought and it supports the shaft fw with its drums to which is applied a crank or any equivalent thereof, and also another shaft e to one end of which may be secured the chain Ze and to which also are attached arms a and m. To the ends of the former are fastened the ends of the vibrating chains, and to the latter any contrivance by means of which the shafts may be rocked. This is merely a convenient mechanism for actuating the vibrating chains, and others may be substituted therefor.

In this specification I have described no precise plan for constructing or attaching to eachother the several parts of the apparatus, nor any precise materials, leaving such points for the judgment of the skilful mechanic, who may construct for various localities or who may prefer certain mechanical construct-ions in favor of others. Any common and known methods of construction will serve the purpose.

I think it unnecessary to describe the operation of my blind, as any mechanic can understand that when acquainted with its construction, and only state in that connection that it serves two distinct purposes, viz: as a fire and thief proof tight shutter, and also as an ordinary blind, admitting air and excluding light. I further state that certain parts of my invention may be usefully applied out of the connection herein shown, and I also wish distinctly to be understood that I do not claim as of my invention a blind made up of slats capable both of raising and falling and of vibrating, except when combined with pivots, etc., as hereinafter set forth, and also that I lay no claim to raising and vibrating cords or chains eXcept When attached and located as claimed; but

I do claim as of my own invention and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A tubular metallic window blind slat containing the cavity thereof a non-conductor of heat constructed and applied substantially as herein specified.

2. I claim pivots and grooves or their equivalents applied substantially as herein set forth in combination With metallic slats capable of Vibration and of rising and falling by Which a rm secure shutter is constituted, While the ordinary uses of inside Venetian blinds are still retained.

3. I claim a locking bar substantially such as is herein specied in combination J. J. I-I. UTMAN, A. H. DU PUGET. 

